FEAR ITSELF
Street Date: 9/15/09
Order Date: 8/19/09
DVD SRP: $29.98 (4-disc set)
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Today’s most talented horror directors and writers including John Landis (An American Werewolf in London), Ronny Yu (Freddy vs. Jason), Mary Harron (American Psycho), Victor Salva (Jeepers Creepers), Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw IV), Sean Hood (Halloween: Resurrection) and Rupert Wainwright (The Fog) have teamed up to create a unique television experience that leaves viewers with nothing to fear but Fear Itself.Fear Itself on DVD features 13 episodes, including four director’s cut and five unaired episodes, from the chilling series that aired on NBC during the summer of 2008. The episodes – “Eater,” “The Sacrifice,” “Community,” “In Sickness & In Health,” “Spooked,” “The Family Man,” “New Year’s Day,” “Skin and Bones,” “Something With Bite,” “The Spirit Box,” “Chance,” “Echoes,” and “The Circle” – feature great casts including Elisabeth Moss (TV’s “Mad Men”), Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight), Clifton Collins Jr. (Star Trek) and James Roday (TV’s “Psych”). In addition, each episode on the DVD includes a “Recipe for Fear” making of featurette that contains cast and director interviews along with behind the scenes footage that addresses what they each think is scary to them, and how they brought that to their short film. Encased in special collector’s edition skeleton tombstone packaging, the Fear Itself 4-disc DVD will stalk its way onto store shelves on September 15, 2009 for $29.98.
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
“Recipe for Fear” – each episode contains a “making of” featurette that includes cast and director interviews along with behind the scenes footage that addresses what they each think is scary to them, and how they brought that to their short film.
The episodes include:
“Eater” Director’s Cut Synopsis:
Directed by Stuart Gordon (Showtime’s “Masters of Horror”) and written by Cemetery Dance magazine publisher and editor Richard Chizmar Johnathon Schaech (Showtime’s “Masters of Horror”), “Eater” follows rookie cop Danny Bannerman as she spends the night in an isolated precinct guarding a serial killer who eats his victims and is intent on making Danny his next “meal.”
Cast:
Elisabeth MossTV’s “Mad Men,” TV’s “West Wing,” Girl, Interrupted
Stephen R. HartMax Payne, Shoot ‘Em Up, Silent Hill, Resident Evil: Apocalypse
“The Sacrifice” Synopsis:
Two brothers, alongwith some friends, end up stranded at an old fort and slowly discover that the three sisters who reside there are hiding a deadly secret. This episode was directed by Breck Eisner (upcoming Creature from the Black Lagoon) and written by Mick Garris (Showtime’s “Masters of Horror”).
Cast:
Jeffrey PierceTV’s “Private Practice,” TV’s “Knight Rider,” S1m0ne, TV’s “Close to Home
Jesse PlemonsTV’s “Friday Night Lights,” Observe and Report, Shrink
“Community” Synopsis:
Director Mary Harron (American Psycho) and writer Kelly Kennemer (Music Within)weave a chilling tale about a young married couple who move into a seemingly perfect, planned community only to find out the hard way that their neighbors will go to any lengths to preserve their twisted sense of perfection.
Cast:
Brandon RouthSuperman Returns, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, TV’s “Gilmore Girls”
Shiri ApplebyTV’s “ER,” Swimfan, TV’s “Roswell,” TV’s “Six Degrees”
“In Sickness & In Health” Synopsis:
Legendary director John Landis (An American Werewolf in London) takes the helm of this episode about a young bride-to-be who receives a shocking note on her wedding day that reads “the person you are marrying is a serial killer.” Victor Salva (Jeepers Creepers) penned the script.
Cast:
James Roday TV’s “Psych,”Beerfest, The Dukes of Hazzard, TV’s “Miss Match”
Maggie Lawson TV’s “Psych,”Still Waiting…, TV’s Killer Hair, TV’s “Tru Calling”
“Spooked” Synopsis:
While on a stake-out in a haunted house, a private eye hired by a mysterious woman is forced to confront the demons of his past. Directed by Brad Anderson (The Machinist) and written by Matt Venne (White Noise 2: The Light).
Cast:
Eric RobertsTV’s “Heroes,” The Dark Knight, Showtime’s “The L Word”
Cynthia WatrosTV’s “Lost,” TV’s “Gossip Girl,” TV’s “The Drew Carey Show”
“The Family Man” Synopsis:
Directed by Ronny Yu (Freddy vs. Jason) and scripted by Dan Knauf (HBO’s “Carnivàle”), this episode tells the tale of a likeable family man who switches bodies with a serial killer after a near-death experience. Nowhe must fight from behind bars to keep the murderer from adding his wife and kids to the long list of victims.
Cast:
Colin FergusonTV’s “Eureka,” Because I Said so, TV’s “My Boys”
Clifton Collins Jr.Star Trek, Capote, Sunshine Cleaning, Babel, The Rules of Attraction
“New Years Day” Director’s Cut Synopsis:
Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw IV) directed and Steve Niles (30 Days of Night)wrote this gruesome tale of ayoung woman who wakes up in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by horrifying zombies and struggles to survive the day.
Cast:
Briana EviganStep Up 2 The Streets, Bottoms Up, House of the Damned, S. Darko
Zulay HenaoTV’s “The Unusuals,” TV’s “Army Wives,” TV’s “Law & Order: SVU”
“Skin and Bones” Director’s Cut Synopsis:
A rancher leading a hunting party becomes lost in the mountains for days. When hefinally returns home to his family he just doesn’t seem the same. Soon, a terrible mortal struggle ensues against the terrifying monster that has possessed him.Directed by Larry Fessenden (The Last Winter) and written by Drew McWeeny (Showtime’s“Masters of Horror”)Scott Swan (Showtime’s“Masters of Horror”).
Cast:
Doug JonesPan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy,Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Super Capers
Molly HaganThe Lucky Ones, Henry Poole is Here, TV’s “Grey’s Anatomy”
“Something With Bite” Synopsis:
When a veterinarian is bitten by a large, strange animal brought into his clinic, he begins to see the world and his stale life differently. Ernest Dickerson (TV’s “Heroes”) directs a script from Max Landis (Showtime’s “Masters of Horror”).
Cast:
Wendell PierceHBO’s “The Wire,” TV’s “Numb3rs,” Ray, Brown Sugar
Kailin See The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
“The Spirit Box” Synopsis:
Featuring TV’s “Masters of Horror”director Rob Schmidt and writer Joe Gangemi (novel Inamorata), this episode follows two suburban high school girls who try to contact a dead classmate via a board game and receive an unexpected message from beyond the grave.
Cast:
Anna Kendrick Rocket Science, Twilight, Camp, TV’s “Viva Laughlin”
Jessica Parker Kennedy TV’s “Smallville,” TV’s “Soul,” TV’s Another Cinderella Story
“Chance” Synopsis:
In the vein of such classic doppelganger stories as “Jekyll & Hyde” and Poe’s “William Wilson,” “Chance” explores a dreadful, classic battle that ensues when a man is confronted by his evil self. This episode was directed by John Dahl (You Kill Me) and written by Lem Dobbs (The Score) Rick Dahl (Red Rock West).
Cast:
Ethan Embry Sweet Home Alabama, Eagle Eye, Showtime’s “Brotherhood,” Vacancy
Christine ChatelainChaos Theory, TV’s “Supernatural,” 40 Days and 40 Nights
“Echoes” Director’s Cut Synopsis:
Writer Sean Hood (Halloween: Resurrection)and director Rupert Wainwright (The Fog) craft this tale aboutSteven, an affable, good-natured young man, who moves into an apartment where he believes he once lived -- 88 years ago in a past life. As memories appear to him like ghosts, he begins to believe that in this previous life he was a sadistic murderer. Or can he just be imagining things?
Cast:
Aaron StanfordThe Hills Have Eyes,Tadpole, X2: X-Men United, TV’s “Numb3rs”
Eric Balfour TV’s “24,” The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, HBO’s “Six Feet Under”
Camille Guaty TV’s “Cupid,” TV’s “Prison Break,” TV’s “Las Vegas”
“The Circle” Synopsis:
A group of people meet every Halloween to tell horror stories and suddenly discover they’re living one. Directed by Eduardo Rodriguez (Daughter) and written by Cemetery Dance magazine publisher and editor Richard Chizmar Johnathon Schaech (Showtime’s“Masters of Horror”).
Cast:
Johnathon Schaech Prom Night, That Thing You Do!, Hush, Quarantine
Ashley Scott TV’s “Jericho,”Into the Blue, Just Friends, TV’s “Dark Angel”
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 2008
Title Copyright:©MMVIII Lions Gate Television, Inc. All rights reserved.
Type: TV on DVD
Rating:NR
Genre:Horror
Closed Captioned: English Closed Captioned
Subtitles:N/A
Format: 16x9Widescreen (1.78)
Feature Running Time: approximately 559 minutes
DVD Audio Status: 5.1 Dolby Digital
For artwork and additional information on this release, e-mail Elizabeth Atler at .